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Women's Soccer Hosts Robert Morris And Saint Francis (Pa.) This Weekend
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Friday, October 7, 2011 – 1 p.m.
Quinnipiac University vs. Robert Morris University
Quinnipiac Soccer Field – Hamden, Conn.
Sunday, October 9, 2011 – 12 p.m.
Quinnipiac University vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) University
Quinnipiac Soccer Field – Hamden, Conn.
Bobcats Host Two NEC Games This
Weekend
The Quinnipiac women’s soccer team plays host to
Northeast Conference opponents Robert Morris on Friday, Oct. 7 at 1
p.m. and Saint Francis (Pa.) on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 12 p.m. at the
Quinnipiac Soccer Field. The Bobcats enter the weekend at 2-5-1 on
the year and 1-1 in league action after defeating Fairleigh
Dickinson, 4-2, in its most recent outing.
Multimedia
Live stats and audio will be available and can be accessed
by visiting the Official Website of Quinnipiac Athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.
Scouting Robert Morris
Robert Morris enters Friday’s match-up at 7-4-1 on
the year. The Colonials improved to 1-1 in NEC play after defeating
Sacred Heart, 1-0, in double overtime on Sunday, Oct. 2. Senior
midfielder Brianna Bell scored the game-winner on an assist from
fellow classmate Jaimie Morra. Senior goalie Jessica Olin became
the all-time leader at Saint Francis (Pa.) in wins (20) with the
shutout over the Pioneers. Overall, senior forward Ayana Davis
leads the Colonials with 16 points, seven goals, and two assists,
while senior Rachel Sebbens has picked up 12 points, five goals and
two assists this season. Bell leads the team in assists (3) and has
tallied three goals. In addition, Olin has made 19 appearances,
made 37 saves and allowed 10 goals in net for the Red Flash.
All-Time Against The
Colonials
Quinnipiac leads the all-time series with Robert Morris,
9-2-1. The Bobcats are undefeated on their home turf at 6-0-1 with
the Colonials. In its most recent meeting, Quinnipiac tied Robert
Morris, 0-0, in two overtime periods on Oct. 17, 2010 at home.
Scouting Saint Francis
(Pa.)
Saint Francis (Pa.) will face Central Connecticut State
prior to playing Quinnipiac on Sunday. The Red Flash enter the
weekend at 6-5 overall and stand undefeated in conference play,
2-0. Before falling to Penn, 3-0, in a non-conference game, Saint
Francis (Pa.) shut out NEC opponents Robert Morris,
1-0, and Sacred Heart, 2-0. Junior forward Tesa McKibben has
dominated the team’s offense and currently leads the team
with 17 points, seven goals and three assists. Fellow classmate
Brianna Butcher has made 19 appearances in goal. The junior keeper
has made 55 saves and posts an 1.27 goals-against average on the
year.
All-Time Against The Red
Flash
Quinnipiac leads the all-time series with Saint Francis
(Pa.), 5-4-4. Last year, the Bobcats tied the Red Flash, 2-2, in a
NEC Semifinal contest, but were eliminated from the Championship
Tournament in penalty kicks. Quinnipiac also played at Saint
Francis (Pa.) earlier in the season, when they lost, 3-0, on Oct.
15, 2010.
Last Time Out
In its most recent outing, Quinnipiac picked up its first
conference win of the year at Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-2. Senior
Furtuna Velaj led the team with two goals, while juniors Crystal
Burns and Shauna Edwards each put away a goal for Quinnipiac.
Sophomore defender Beck Kiting tallied two assists on the evening,
while Edwards and senior Kristina Del Mistro each added a point in
the match. The win was senior goalie Jill Kelley’s second
victory of the year.
Recap At Sacred Heart
The Bobcats lost their first NEC contest of the year to
Sacred Heart, 2-1, at the Pioneers’ home turf on Sept. 23.
Quinnipiac’s Beck Kiting scored her second goal of the year
on an assist from fellow defender Chelsea Smith. Senior goalie Jill
Kelley matched the Pioneers’ keeper Sydney Judkins with two
saves in net.
Notes From The NEC
Furtuna Velaj ranks seventh in the NEC in shots with 27
shots on the year and second in shots per game (3.38). The senior
forward/midfielder also ranks fifth in points (11) and third in
goals (5). Velaj is second amongst conference players in points per
game (1.38) and goals per game (.62), while sophomore Beck Kiting
ranks eighth in points per game (.86), with six points in seven
games played. In addition, Kiting Shauna Edwards and Kemesha
Woodfine are each in the 10th slot with two assists.
Saving Grace
Senior goalie Jill Kelley ranks sixth in the league in
saves per game (4.25), after making 34 stops in eight games played.
She also is tied in the sixth position with one shutout on the
year.
On Fire
Junior transfer Crystal Burns scored her first goal as a
Bobcat in the team’s 4-2 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.
Burns has appeared in each of Quinnipiac’s eight games this
season.
Reaching For 100
Senior Furtuna Velaj currently posts 91 career points.
Velaj has picked up 11 points this season, while she put up 19
points in her junior year. The forward also tallied 30 points in
2009 and 31 points as a freshman.
Featured Freshman
Freshman goalkeeper Tori Graessle saw action at Fairleigh
Dickinson in her first appearance with the Bobcats.
ESPN.com Features Furtuna
Earlier this season, Furtuna Velaj was recognized in an
article written by ESPN.com’s Graham Hays. The article
features the Santa Clara University starting goalkeeper and 10 NCAA
Division I women’s soccer players, whom hays feels will have
a great potential to make an impact this season. Last year, Hays
also wrote a feature, “From refugee to soccer star,” on
Velaj’s journey from her native Kosovo to the United States,
as well as her future aspirations in political science following
her collegiate career. She was also named a top potential draft
pick and one of the top collegiate women forwards in the country by
www.AllWhiteKit.com.
NEC Preseason Coaches’
Poll
The Quinnipiac University women’s soccer team was
picked to finish fifth out of 11 teams, in the 2011 Northeast
Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Bobcats finished last
season 7-7-4 overall and at 5-2-3 in conference play, which secured
a spot for the Quinnipiac in the 2010 NEC Tournament.
Northeast Conference 2011 Women's Soccer Preseason
Coaches’ Poll
1. Saint Francis (PA) (8)
2. Monmouth (2)
3. Long Island
4. Central Connecticut St. (1)
5. Quinnipiac
6. Sacred Heart
7. Bryant
8. Robert Morris
9. Wagner
10. Mount Saint Mary’s
11. Fairleigh Dickinson
First place votes in parentheses ( ).
What’s Ahead for the Bobcats
The Bobcats continue play at the Quinnipiac Soccer Field
when they host Long Island on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. and Wagner on Oct.
16 at Noon. Quinnipiac will then travel to Monmouth on Oct. 21,
Mount St. Mary’s on Oct. 23 and Central Connecticut State on
Oct. 28, before hosting Bryant on Oct. 30 for the final game of the
regular season.
Contact: Lindsay Oliveri, lmoliveri@quinnipiac.edu
